I Traveled the USA's Least Visited States.

As a European traveling through the United States I've always chosen the most picturesque places to visit This place is what people call magical This time it's different as in this video I'll be traveling through some of the least visited states in the country South Dakota Nebraska Iowa I've never heard anyone say that Nebraska and Iowa are beautiful states After fifteen months exploring some of North America's most picturesque locations this is a refreshing change for me But I have to get to the East Coast somehow Yes I could have driven along Route 66 or across the Great Lakes but here we're trying something new So I wonder will it really be as uneventful as I expect Do these states truly deserve their low rankings in America's tourism standings The journey begins here Welcome to Vaa South Dakota And no you really shouldn't know where it is because until yesterday I didn't either To be honest there was nothing particularly compelling that drew me to Vaa It happened to be on the route and conveniently there was a dog-friendly motel In the evenings I set out to explore the city The city of Vaasa is quite small I think there are about 65 residents here Also there's a gas station a motel and naturally the meeting point we're about to visit Looks good Let's see if we can run into a few locals here Those are probably the most stylish chairs I've ever seen in my entire life I love it Hey Jerry how are you doing I'm doing well Yeah so we're in South Dakota Yeah And you said you were born and raised here Not here but around these parts Okay so you're from South Dakota Yes What do you do for a living Jerry I own a ranch That's great And I also have a barn How would you describe South Dakota We enjoy a great deal of freedom in South Dakota Crime doesn't worry us nearly as much Family religion and freedom are important Would you recommend people come to South Dakota and take a look for themselves I'd recommend you come to South Dakota and see it for yourself But I hope you take your values home with you not the wrong ones to South Dakota Absolutely respect the environment If you respect the environment you'll have a wonderful time in South Florida The national motto is "Land of Infinite Diversity " It's beautiful out here and we cherish every single day My name is Christel I am an accountant who handles bookkeeping for a company across the entire state I do that from home and also work for a rancher Oh great how would you describe South Dakota Peaceful serene and the vast open spaces are priceless It's also a remarkably diverse state Would you say there might be unfair or unjust stereotypes here I suppose if they treat us unfairly or put us in boxes that's on them Yes come and see for yourselves but leave only your footprints We're doing well I'm very far from home here but for many people this is naturally their home Here you experience that comforting warm and reassuring sense of safety and belonging Sometimes I simply enjoy putting myself in their shoes I guess this is South Dakota and the sky has the most beautiful muted hues It's so beautiful Tomorrow I'm visiting one of the largest tourist attractions in all of South Dakota and it's not what you think I'm really excited—I'm just looking forward to it so much Good morning We're starting out very early today It's not even 9 a m And I'm super excited because we're heading to what I think is the most interesting and unusual tourist attraction in South Dakota It's just a few miles down the road Time to leave a city that unexpectedly left a lasting impression on me Today I'm heading southeast But before I go too far off track I’d still like to visit what’s probably the most famous store in nowhere in all of America I thought to myself should I go to Mount Rushmore or head to the Waldrag Store The choice was pretty straightforward Also just what is Waldrag I'm still trying to figure it out But actually it's quite simple at its core It's kind of a rest stop but more like a theme park with souvenir shops novelty stores cafés and restaurants with delicious food art galleries and plenty of quirky American flair I don't know I don't know what it is but it's fantastic I knew jackalopes were real I really did I just never thought they'd grow this big You know how hard it was for me to choose between Mount Rushmore and the Waldrag Store Now it turns out I can actually visit both since the Wildrag Store Mount Rushmore is located there Had fun but it's time to head out I've got about 300 miles ahead of me if I want to reach Nebraska today M also M yeah let's do it After stuffing ourselves with American junk at the Waldrag Store it was so windy We turned south and drove through an entirely different place—the Bedlands National Park Yes far from monuments and souvenirs This is quite a rugged place I've been traveling across the United States for some time now and have seen countless incredibly beautiful places in this country And honestly when it comes to natural diversity and beauty it's my favorite country But M I've never heard anyone say that Nebraska and Iowa are beautiful states Typically people talk about how these are federal states where large amounts of corn are grown and agriculture is practiced not necessarily for beautiful nature But you know what It's absolutely beautiful here These gentle hills endless fields forests and trees It's truly quite impressive and it really reminds me of home Yes it reminds me of home If you look closely enough in my opinion you can find a piece of home everywhere Nebraska is one of the largest producers of corn and soybeans in the United States That becomes immediately apparent the moment you glance out the car window Endless fields of green and gold stretching to the horizon I'm just trying to keep up my routine and street training Today I'm crossing the state of Iowa Another long long day on the road lies ahead of me but I've decided to start him at a fairly famous place I thought I'd never actually make it here because this place is so far off the beaten path of America's major tourist attractions I never thought I'd actually end up here But here we are It's so exciting America is not the largest truck stop in the world This rest area is huge the moment you step into it It's truly enormous At first glance he appears to be a souvenir shop but upon closer inspection one discovers a wealth of infrastructure and other details at one could probably spend 24 hours working through here There is a dentist a driver's lounge a cinema and a chiropractor a fairly large laundry and a game arcade Are you waiting for the hairdresser right now Yes that's right Where are you from Joe Chicago Okay and what do you do for a living You're a truck driver Period Okay is this a real shop or more of a tourist trap Or do the truck drivers look forward to coming here and staying at this rest stop Here you'll find everything—ah a chiropractor a haircut all kinds of restaurants and so on Yes if you look outside were you perhaps on the parking lot do you see all those trucks out there Yes there are many of them There you have it I have a game for you Tell me which state's flag this is Yes Alaska Which state's flag is this Yes that's New York Which one is this Nevada I can't believe it—I've just found the ultimate shoe product I mean the person who came up with that should really win a Nobel Prize for creativity— it's brilliant That's the wow effect I truly wanted to learn more about the mysterious world of truck drivers and truckers Who are they and what drives them to take on this tough and seemingly unglamorous job What's your name Dallas Dallas where are you from Missouri Okay what's the hardest part about being a truck driver Being away from home The longest I was away was one year and two and a half months Wow on the move Yes due to the company What do you like best about your job Traveling meeting new people calling different individuals Between 65 and 75 percent of all goods in this country are transported by truck at some point I hauled the E-trailers for the new Freedom Tower When I stepped out of the truck I was standing at Ground Zero on September 11 Wow it's amazing what this industry contributes to this country Yes I still think about it every single day and in a way it humbles me But it also inspires me As a European there are so many things about this rest stop that are simply amazing And the sheer size is definitely one of them as there are simply no such large rest areas anywhere else in Europe But the most astonishing thing I've just learned is that this rest stop hasn't been closed even once in 59 years What did you say Not even once I mean that just goes to show how vital transportation and truck traffic are today's world I got a sticker so he definitely deserves a spot on the Wall of Fame It turns out there's even a dog wash at the truck stop I'm taking advantage of the opportunity to slip V a much-needed load of laundry He hates it Sorry buddy Do you come here often Like it buddy No you don't like it Okay what okay I think that was his way of telling him to get lost I know it's hard to believe but I've just crossed the Mississippi bringing the East a little closer You know especially when you see the signs pointing to Chicago and you realize it’s not far from Chicago to the east Wow This is real This is actually happening I’ve said goodbye to the West The western part of the United States has truly felt like home over the past five months Yet traversing some of the country's least visited states—South Dakota Nebraska and Iowa—was truly eye-opening We are now in the heartland of the United States in regions where the majority of field crops are grown On the land that feeds the nation on the highways that link the two sides of a vast and diverse continent There's no avoiding it one should simply accept it As for traveling here I think each individual place can become quite a fascinating destination as long as one has people to talk to and learn from Ultimately travel isn't just about places—it's above all about the people you meet along the way Hey if you'd like your name credited in the credits or want early access to all my YouTube videos or if you'd like access to my making-of and behind-the-scenes videos for every single film I release on YouTube Then you should subscribe to my Patreon community—it offers many different benefits On Patreon I usually share updates from my life and travels There I also create many exclusive pieces and we have the chance to connect live This is truly an amazing community and yes if you'd like to see more from me you'll find the link somewhere on your screen here Anyway see you in the next video